Social housing petition

Cowes west residents – campaigning for unused road reserves to be converted to permanent green wedges – have lodged a petition to Bass Coast Shire.

Signed by 93 people, the petition has been lodged by the Save Our Reserves Action Group, formed last November with residents from four streets – Seascape, Raywood and Highland avenues and Anderson Road – after reserves on these streets were pinpointed as possible locations for new social housing projects.

The petition, lodged at the April council meeting, states the reserves are enjoyed year-round by residents and tourists for recreation and provide habitat for wildlife.

It states signatories object to the proposed destruction of the reserves based on environmental and social impacts.

“We ask our reserves be preserved as permanent recreation spaces,” the petition states, with the reserves first subdivided in 1949.

“They provide residents and tourists with safe thoroughfare away from the busy roads of Church Street and Settlement Road; and are the only open green spaces within the borders of Church Street and Settlement, Anderson and McKenzie roads.”

The petition says while signatories understand the importance of social housing, “Cowes is the wrong location” because it lacks essential infrastructure and facilities that social housing residents require, including a hospital, 24/7 police station, public secondary school, TAFE and university, and currently no library.

The group says Cowes is unsuitable for social housing because of limited employment opportunities, limited public transport, and insufficient physical and mental health support.

“Bass Coast Shire, Community Housing Limited and others, please listen to the community and save our recreation reserves for our residents, our visitors and our wildlife.”

Cr Rochelle Halstead asked a question of shire officers at the council meeting about the planning process required to make unused roads as green reserves.

The officer responded it would require a planning scheme amendment, which would take up to 18 months, “depending on submissions” and there would need to be a formal road discontinuation process.

Social housing

Earlier this year the shire confirmed Wyndham Avenue and Roydon Road would progress to the next stage of social housing development, while the reserves on the other four streets in Cowes west – known as the Haberton Road Reserves – were no longer in contention.

Late last year the shire was nominated to receive $25 million worth of grants under the state government’s Big Housing Build, one of nine local government areas targeted by the government in a total $5.3 billion fund.

Under the build, registered community housing organisations (CHOs) apply for the grants. The land is then made available for free or at a discount by the shire for the homes to be built.

Shire CEO Ali Wastie said the next steps in the process is for Community Housing Limited to develop their proposals for Wyndham Avenue and Roydon Road – as well as sites in Wonthaggi – for submission to the funding stream.

“If successful they would further develop their proposal including consultation with council and the local community before submitting their proposal to the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change for approval.”

Under the grant conditions, community consultation was to be held in March and April, but that has now been delayed.

Construction of homes would start by June 2023 and be finished by June 2025.